April 20, 2015

The Toyota USA Foundation announced US$ 1.9-million in grants to K-12 educational programs that focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and serve diverse communities.

"We know that the future of our society will be built on increasingly sophisticated technological expertise and innovative problem solving," said Michael Rouse, President, Toyota USA Foundation. "That's why Toyota USA Foundation is proud to support these nonprofits, who are creating exciting opportunities to train and inspire the next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering and math."

The non-profit organizations that received funding from the Toyota USA Foundation in Spring 2015 address STEM from a range of perspectives:

Grantee Organisations

Amount

Purpose of grant

Alabama Center for Sustainable
Energy, Madison, AL

US$ 100,000

To reach 10 per cent of the K-12 student
population in Madison County, Alabama with a curriculum in clean energy,
design, engineering, project management and construction

Computers for Youth Foundation, New York, NY

US$ 100,000

To increase student
achievement and engagement in STEM by leveraging the power of digital
learning to support students, parents, and educators in NYC schools

CSUSB Foundation, San Bernardino, CA

US$ 150,000

To improve the achievement of
English learners in pre-K through sixth grade mathematics by improving
teacher and principal awareness of how English learners approach math
utilizing the Japanese Lesson Study model

Florida House Institute, Sarasota, FL

US$ 377,685 over three years

To utilize a STEM curriculum
centered on a demonstration house and yard to inspire student learning and
raise elementary science test scores for Florida State Standards for 5th
grade students

Girl Scouts of Eastern
Massachusetts, Boston, MA

US$ 50,000

To expand and enhance the Girls
Building Self-eSTeEM Initiative, which provides over 6,000 girls in
grades K-12 from eastern Massachusetts with STEM education and exposure
through programmatic and event-based opportunities

The Manufacturing Institute, Washington, DC

US$ 199,973 over two years

To create the Dream It. Do It.
STEM Toolkit highlighting best practices to engage students in STEM
pathways and manufacturing careers. Funds also used to replicate a
number of best practices in selected Dream It. Do It. locations

MathPower, Boston, MA

US$ 100,000

To provide coaching and
professional development to Boston Public School teachers, as well as
volunteer tutors and mentors

National Action Council for
Minorities in Engineering, Inc.,
White Plains, New York

US$ 53,000

To support pre-engineering program
materials in 97 Academies of Engineering and produce the NACME Guide to
Engineering Colleges published in conjunction with The Princeton Review

New Visions for Public Schools, New York, NY

US$ 149,999 over two years

To improve teacher practices,
accelerate students' literacy development and advance their performance on
state biology exams through a new biology course to be piloted with 1,200
high-need students across 12 urban schools

Northwestern University, Chicago, Evanston, IL

US$ 200,000 over two years

To provide teacher leadership
training around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to middle
school science teachers who in turn will guide elementary school teachers to
improve science instruction for preschool to fourth grade teachers

Teach for America, Inc., Hazard, KY

US$ 250,000 over two years

To recruit, train and support 40
new, high-quality science and math teachers in high-need schools over the
next 3 years and to connect students with local business and community
leaders to provide increased networking opportunities

University of Maryland, Baltimore
County (UMBC), Baltimore, MD

US$ 50,000

To increase low-income schools'
access to Maryland’s FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Tournament, a global
robotics tournament which inspires children to participate in science and
technology activities, through support for marketing, recruitment workshops,
equipment, entry fees etc

YMCA of the USA, Chicago, IL, focusing on WV, MI, KY, OH and IN.

US$ 200,000

To help integrate STEM within YMCA
Achievement Gap Afterschool Learning Programs at five YMCA
Associations: Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, and West Virginia